I use my hands to stop my face from colliding with the floor, cringing when I land in something wet and smelly. In fact, this entire place smells like wet dog, making me want to throw up the rest of the alcohol I had last night.

"You didn't have to pull me so hard." I take Nova's hand, letting her help me to my feet.

"Sorry," she says.

We both look at Luca, still standing on the other side of the portal; in Western Rahm. He rubs his eyes, as if he is trying to wake up from a weird dream; a dream where he wasn't just walking with two girls that disappeared into thin air.

I wave my hands in the air, trying to tell him to just step through and join us.

"Tried that," Nova sighs, "but you guys couldn't see me. I think it just works the one way."

My eyes are focused on Luca, hoping he'll be brave enough to step through the portal. If he can just get close enough, I'll pull him in like Nova pulled me. I just hope he won't fight my hand off and go running for the hills.

"What if..."

A thought comes to me, and I try to stick my hand through this mystery place, hoping to rejoin Luca. However, what seems to be some invisible wall, keeps my hand back.

"Tried that, too. We can't leave through there."

"You pulled me into a place that trapped us?"

"Was I supposed to sit here alone, Amora? You were half in here already."

"Well..." she makes a good point. Either way, I'm sure this is where we need to be to find Pandora's Box. "True."

Nova and I step back when Luca takes one step into the portal, clearly hesitant to take another.

I outstretch my arms, willing to take my chances by pulling him through if needed. Nova does the same, realising Luca might need a bit of help to make it here.

However, just before we grab him, Luca closes his eyes and throws himself into the portal. He ends up right in front of me, looking relieved when he sees my face.

"You okay?" I ask, gently squeezing his arm.

"Yeah." He looks at my hand, seeming a bit worried when we both notice it's a little red. "Are you?"

Nova takes a couple steps away from us, and coughs to grab our attention.

Before we know it, the outside world—all the tall trees, mud and annoying insects—fade away, and all we're left with is a gloomy, musty room.

"Where are we?" He asks, but none of us can answer that. Even in all the tales I've read, a place like this has never been mentioned.

A part of me wants to explore this foreign location and learn everything about it to put the knowledge into a book, helping those who come after me to understand everything.

However, the larger part of me is scared; scared of what dangers are lurking in the dark, and the more I try to look further down this room, the more afraid I become. It only gets darker.

Suddenly, a golden light glows ahead of us, so small yet so bright. The light starts to move, dancing in circles on the brick wall until it makes the outline of a woman.

When I think that's the end of the show, the outline shines brightly, so much that I have to shield my eyes and turn away.

This is all strange, and if I didn't have a goal in mind, I would be as far away from this place as my short legs would carry me. Then again, I don't know where I could run to.

"Amora."

At Nova's voice, I open my eyes slowly, happy to see that the light has died down, yet slightly afraid by the scene in front of me.

The bricks start shifting, scraping against each other until they surround the outline of a lady, leaving space for a body to worm through.

We all step back, trying to put as much distance between us and whatever is coming out of that wall.

However, although the figure sends shivers down my spine, it pulls me in, or at least, stops me from running.

Her umber skin glows as if she holds a piece of the sun within her. Her lips are plump, almost in the shape of a heart and as rosy as her cheeks. She has silver hair, flowing down her back and nearly touching the floor.  Her gown is blue, falling gracefully against her body, which, likely due to the rest of her trapped inside the wall, I can only see up to her thighs.

She looks around, taking her time to analyse all of us before smiling, showing off her pearly teeth.

"How," her voice is gentle, "unusual."

She keeps her eyes on me for longer than I'd like, and it feels as if she is staring into my soul.

"I am Edesere," her voice is stronger than before, "house of Ofor; cursed to live out of my days within these walls."

No one replies, and I'm sure we're all too stunned to speak. Maybe I'll never get used to seeing unusual things.

"Come forth so I may serve my purpose," she says, looking at no one directly.

"What purpose is that?" Luca is the first to speak, calming himself down faster than Nova and me.

"Beyond this point, lies your desire. Pass the test, and it is yours."

"What desires?" I ask, knowing the only thing I want is this evil out of me. I want to live a normal life, and I don't want my death to bring pain to the world.

Edesere ignores me, looking straight ahead at nothing.

"And if we fail?" Luca asks.

Edesere snaps her fingers, lighting up the rest of this place and allowing us to see the room is larger than we thought.

Only now, we notice statues that look like they've been built into the walls. They're all of humans; some old men and others little girls. If my eyes aren't playing tricks on me, one looks like he's crying.

"All who fail, return; cursed to live their life within the walls." She looks at Luca. "Fear not. I see the lessor of evils in you all and a will that should suffice."

Before we can say anything else, she raises her hand as if to silence us. We say nothing, but my bag starts rumbling as if it holds a caged animal ready to run wild.

We watch as Hades' Clutch rips through my bag, flying across the room and disappearing into Edesere's palm.

My eyes widen, struggling to process what is happening. All I know is we need that clutch, and I can't leave here without it.

I move towards Edesere, ready to shake the clutch out of her. However, she disappears from the wall in an instant.

Nova shrieks, but I'm too afraid to let any sound come out of my mouth. We all look around, wondering what to do from here and where the mystery lady went.

Suddenly, Edesere, barefoot and with less of a glow, appears in front of Nova. This time, we all scream. My feet refuse to move, but I watch as Luca runs towards Nova.

Unfortunately, it's too late, and after a whisper from Edesere, Nova disappears.

"Nova!" I scream.

Now, Edesere turns her attention to me. Everything in me tells me to run down the dark halls, but my body still refuses to cooperate.

Again, she disappears, leaving Luca and I to wonder just who she'll take next.

It doesn't take long before she appears in front of me, and my heart skips a beat. She reaches out to me, likely ready to make me disappear just as she did to Nova.

However, Luca pushes me aside. This doesn't seem to surprise Edesere, and she digs her nails into Luca's face as if he were always her target.

I, now laying on the floor, watch as she whispers something to him before he vanishes.

This time, I have the strength to move, pushing myself up from the floor and ready to run to anywhere else.

My efforts are wasted when Edesere appears in front of me, smirking as if she has won a race. Then again, she might have.

With one of her hands on my hair, she leans into my ear.

"Witness the chaos to come, should you not break apart."

She pulls away, still holding the same smirk on her face and shaking her head. My body starts to fade away, starting from my feet and slowly taking over my lower body.